Trending Now

You are here

Retired prof to sign copies of new book

Mississippi State University’s African-American Studies program and Barnes and Noble Bookstore will host a talk and book signing by Dr. Stanly Godbold, a retired professor of history at MSU, on Tuesday.
Godbold’s new book, “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: The Georgia Years, 1924-1974,” is published by Oxford University Press.
The program will begin at 3 p.m. in Barnes and Noble on Tuesday.
Godbold earned a doctor of philosophy degree in history from Duke University and a master of divinity degree in theology from Southern Methodist University.
He is an expert in Southern history and American religion. Godbold retired in 2003 after a 26-year career at MSU.
Stephen Middleton, professor of history and director of African-American Studies at MSU said this book is unique in presidential biographies because it highlights the contributions of the first lady as well as the president.
“This brilliantly researched and elegantly written work is the first of a two-volume series on the Carters,” Middleton said.
Goldbold said the influence of Carter’s ancestry, family, military career, business experience, and marriage to Rosalynn on his development and political thought is the primary focus for this book, that ends with his governorship for the state of Georgia.
The second volume will cover the presidency and Carters after the White House.
“I will tell you now, however, that there is only one Jimmy Carter, and the work he does after the White House is exactly the same as he did before and during his presidency, but just a different venue and methods,” Goldbold said.
The second volume is tentatively scheduled for 2014.